Hydrocarbon-engine



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

M. NIXON. I 9 HYDROGARBON ENGINE. No. 559,399. Patented May 5,1896.

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M. G. NIXON. HYDROGARBON ENGINE.

No. 559,399. Patented May 5, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

MILES G. NIXON, OF WVAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS.

HYDROCARBON-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent No. 559,399, dated May 5, 1896. Application filed April 8, 1892. Serial No. 428,292. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MILES G. NIXON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wankegan, county of Lake, State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hydrocarbon-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of hydrocarbon-engines of the electric-igniter type in which the fuel is fed into the supply-pipe in the liquid form and there vaporized by the heat of the engine before it enters the ignitionchamberand is exploded, the object thereof being to permit of the use of the less volatile oils,such as the heavier grades of kerosene and similar oils, which are less dangerous in use.

My invention consists chiefly of a device for feeding the fuel into the engine With the air in such a manner as to produce a spray which will be rapidly vaporized, also an automatic governor for the air-supply, a pump-regulator, an explosion-chamber, and electric ignitcr of novel form.

It further consists of details of construction and operation hereinafter more fully described, and particularly specified in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my engine in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on lines 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the pump regulator.

A represents the cylinder; 13, the partition in the upper portion thereof forming the explosion-chamber A; O, the rotating ignitershaft; D, the chain-wheel by which the shaft is rotated; E, the supply-pipe; E, the vaporizing-chamber; F, the exhaust; G, the waterjacket; II, the cam for operating the exhaustvalve; I, the stationary electrode; J, the rotat-ing electrode; K, the sleeve attached to the shaft to which the electrode J is attached; L, the pumpeccentric; M, the pump; N, the pump-regulating device; 0, the governor; P, the air-supply valve controlled by the governor; Q, the hand-crank; R, the throttlevalve; S, the oil-feed pipe; S, the air-supply pipe; T, the reservoir; U, the cock; V, the gauze diaphragm; IV, the checlevalve; Y, the insulated rod to which the electrode 1 is attached.

The operation of my engine is asfollows:

The kerosene is pumped onto the gauze dia phragm V in the supply-pipe E, the air entering above the diaphragm through the pipe S, the suction of the downstroke of the piston drawing the air and oil violently through the gauze and thereby spraying the oil into the vaporizing-chamber. This chamber is kept at a high temperature by the heat from the engine, and the kerosene is quickly vaporized in it, and the vapor mixed with the air enters the ignition-chamber A, where it is ignited rest of the cylinder, which is surrounded by a water-jacket. I place a deflector B below the electrodes and in front of the opening Z) to cause the cold air entering to be thrown against the electrodes and keep them cool to prevent them losing their temper. The amount of air entering through S is regulated by the governor O acting upon the valve P, so that the more rapid the rotation the more the valve will be cut on and the less the air that will enter, producing partial vacuum and slowing down the engine. This may also be regulated by hand by means of the throttlevalve R, or the air entirely out off, if desired. The amount of oil supplied is determined by the stroke of the pump, and this is regulated by the adjusting device N, (shown in Fig. 3,) in

which a threaded rod 6 moves the block f 1113 or down. The pump-rod passes through the block and sets into the socket g. It has a collar at around it, which strikes the block f when the rod is raised, and by raising or lowering this block the amount of lost motion between the parts, and thereby the length of the stroke of the pump, is varied.

The pump-eccentric L encircles the sleeve Q on the shaft 0. The sleeve is attached to the shaft by the pin 19, and the hand-crank Q is attached to the sleeve in any suitable manner. I/Vhen it is desired to operate the pump independently of the rest of the engine-as, for example, when starting up-the pin 19 is removed, and the pump then operated by the hand-crank without any other parts of the engine except the governor being moved.

The reservoir T is designed to hold a small supply of more volatile fuel, such as gasolene or alcohol, to be used in starting before the engine has become sufficiently heated to vaporize the kerosene. It is utilized in the following manner: The kerosene is drawn off from the reservoir and it is filled with the volatile oil and closed. The kerosene is then pumped into it through the pipe S at the bottom. The kerosene being heavier than the volatile oil, the latter floats upon it and is forced out at the top as the kerosene is pumped in. The capacity of the reservoir is suificient to start the engine and heat it to a point Where the k erosen e will be properly vaporized, and by the time it is all consumed the engine will continue to run on the kerosene. The fixed electrode I is insulated by the rod Y being inclosed in a stuffing-box with insulators at each end and asbestos or similar non-conductor packing around it. It has pins or projections extending from it into the packing to prevent its turning or moving. The igniter-shaft 0 passes into or preferably through the explosion-chamber A. It is provided with glands at its bearings in the cylinder and forms a part of the electric circuit. In addition to the electrode J it carries various other operating parts, as before described, thereby permitting of a simple and compact disposition of those parts.

I prefer to use a cone-shaped gauze diaphragm for spraying the kerosene into the vaporizing-chamber, in order that it may be finely divided and therefore quickly vaporized; but in place of the gauze a perforated plate may be used with partial success, or the diaphragm may be done away with entirely and the oil pumped directly into the vaporizing-chamber, the diaphragm simply acting as an atomizer to send the kerosene into the chamber in so finely-divided state as to be rapidly vaporized.

I do not wish to limit myself to the use of kerosene alone, as other similar liquid fuels may be used without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

for filling and discharging said auxiliary reservoir, all substantially as shown and described.

2. In a hydrocarbon-engine the herein-described feeding device, consisting of the combination, of the air-supply pipe, the oil-supply pipe, the auxiliary reservoir having said oil-supply pipe entering at the bottom thereof and discharging at the top thereof, and means for emptying and filling said reservoir, all substantially as shown and described.

3. In a hydrocarbon-engine, the combination of the rotating igniter-shaft, the electrode thereon the cam thereon for operating the exhaust, and the pump operated by said shaft, and the fixed electrode all substantially as shown and described.

4. The herein-described hydrocarbon-engine, consisting of the combination of the cylinder, the piston therein, the oil-feed entering said cylinder, the air-feed entering said cylinder, the rotating igniter-shaft, passing through said cylinder, the electrode upon said shaft, and the cam for operating the exhaust upon said shaft, and the pump operated thereby, and the fixed electrode all substantially as shown and described.

5. The herein-described hydrocarbon-engine, consisting of the combination of the cylinder, the piston therein, the vaporizingchamber in the upper portion of said cylinder, the air-feed entering said vaporizingchamber, the oil-feed entering said vaporizin g-chamber, the rotating igniter-shaft passing through said cylinder the exhaust-valve and the cam for operating the exhaust-valve upon said shaft, all substantially as shown and described.

MILES G. NIXON.

Vitnesscs:

MAX ROBINSON, Louis V. Ln Morr s. 

